178 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
August  24,  1899. 
Close-Driving  of  Bees. 
There  are  numerous  bee-keepers  throughout  the  country  who 
still  adhere  to  the  straw  steps  for  obtaining  a  surplus  of  honey.  The 
time  has  now  arrived  for  driving  the  bees,  or  removing  them  in  some 
manner,  so  that  they  ate  not  destroyed.  If  this  operation  is  left  till 
late  in  the  autumn  there  will  be  less  honey  than  if  carried  out  at  the 
present  time.  We  have  on  several  occasions  advocated  taking  the 
honey  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  honey  flow  is  over,  as  at  that  time 
the  colonies  are  as  a  rule  of  great  strength,  being  composed  chiefly  of 
old  bees  which  in  a  few  weeks  will  die,  owing  to  the  amount  of  work 
they  have  done  during  the  bright  days  oF  summer.  They  are  conse¬ 
quently  of  little  use  to  the  bee-keeper,  and  the  honey  they  consume 
will  be  wasted. 
Driving  bees  may  be  successfully  carried  out  without  any  previous 
experience  in  the  work.  A  little  practice,  however,  will  make  the 
novice  an  expert.  Those  who  have  not  previously  tried  the  experi¬ 
ment  may  first  try  close-driving.  This  is  done  by  inverting  the  skep 
containing  the  bees  and  honey,  and  placing  an  empty  skep  over  the 
top.  Before  removing  the  hive  from  its  stand  a  puff  or  two  of  smoke 
should  be  blown  into  the  entrance,  at  the  same  time  rapping  the  hive 
smartly  with  the  hand ;  this  will  have  the  effect  of  frightening  the 
bees,  causing  them  to  fill  their  honey  sacks  with  honey.  They  will 
then  be  good  tempered,  and  mav  be  handled  with  impunity. 
As  soon  as  the  empty  hive  has  been  placed  over  the  one  inverted, 
rap  the  bottom  hive  with  the  hand.  The  bees  will  at  once  run  up 
into  the  empty  skep.  When  it  is  found  that  the  majority  of  the  bees 
have  left  the  combs,  the  skep  may  be  removed  a  short  distance  and 
the  combs  taken,  the  few  remaining  bees  being  brushed  off  into  the 
hive.  After  the  skep  has  been  cleared  of  its  contents,  the  bees  maybe 
added  to  those  already  driven  into  the  empty  skep.  The  disadvantage 
of  close  driving  is,  there  is  not  the  opportunity  of  seeing  if  the  bees  are 
leaving  their  combs  freely,  or  it  the  queen  has  left  the  hive. 
Open  Driving, 
Open  driving  is  much  preferred,  and  there  is  really  little  danger  of 
being  stung  if  the  operator  has  only  the  nerve  to  practise  it.  Commence 
by  causing  the  bees  to  fill  their  honey  sacks,  allowing  them  about  five 
minutes  to  settle  down  after  being  disturbed.  Have  ready  some 
driving  irons,  or  three  pieces  of  stout  wire  about  1  foot  in  length.  One 
should  be  quite  straight,  and  the  other  two  have  about  1  inch  at  each 
end  turned  at  right  angles.  The  straight  piece  is  used  to  fasten  the  edge 
of  the  empty  skep  to  the  one  containing  the  bees  and  honey.  The  front 
of  the  empty  skep  is  then  lifted  about  10  inches,  and  the  two  wires 
with  the  ends  turned  are  used  to  form  a  hinge  on  each  side  of  the  two 
skeps  by  pushing  the  points  into  each  skep,  and  thus  holding  them 
together. 
The  operator  will  thus  have  a  full  view  of  the  interior  of  both  of 
the  skeps  if  he  places  himself  directly  in  front  of  them.  Bap  the 
lower  hive  as  advised  above,  and  the  bee3  will  run  into  the  empty 
skep  at  a  rapid  rate.  Continue  the  rapping  at  the  sides  and  back 
of  the  hive,  and  there  will  be  little  difficulty  in  getting  them  into 
the  empty  skep.  Should  they  not  be  inclined  to  leave  their  combs 
a  puff  or  two  of  smoke  will  cause  them  to  do  so.  As  they  run  up 
keep  a  sharp  look  out  for  the  queen,  as  it  is  an  advantage  to  know  she 
is  safe  with  the  driven  bees,  as  if  left  in  the  parent  hive  there  is  a 
danger  of  her  being  crushed  when  removing  the  combs. 
Bumping  Bees. 
During  the  past  week  we  have  taken  the  bees  and  honey  from 
upwards  of  a  dozen  skeps  by  the  system  known  as  “  bumping.”  Much 
less  time  is  required  than  driving,  but  some  practice  is  necessary  to  be 
an  adept  at  taking  bees  in  this  manner. 
Commence  operations  as  for  driving.  Lift  the  skep  from  its  stand 
and  remove  the  cross-sticks,  if  any.  Then  take  hold  of  the  skep  with 
both  hands  and  bump  it  sharply  on  the  ground,  first  to  one  side  and 
then  to  the  other.  This  will  cause  the  combs  to  break  off.  Lift  each 
comb  out  of  the  hive  separately,  and  brush  the  bees  off  into  an  empty 
skep  with  a  large  feather  or  a  duck’s  wing.  The  combs  may  be  placed 
on  a  dish  and  be  removed  under  cover  as  soon  as  possible  out  of  the 
way  of  robber  bees  from  the  other  hives.  A  vessel  containing  water 
should  be  kept  conveniently  to  hand,  as  by  dipping  the  feather  or 
wing  in  water  the  bees  will  not  adhere  as  they  would  if  sticky  with 
honey.  In  driving  or  bumping  bees  at  this  season  it  is  advisable  to 
remove  them  a  short  distance  from  the  other  stocks  to  prevent  robbing. 
— An  English  Bee-keeper. 
W 
SHE  BEE-KEEPER.^ 
oJ  M 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to“  The  Editor,”  a,  Rose  Hill  Road, 
Wandsworth,  S.W.,  and  HOT  to  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers, 
Fleet  Street.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately  to 
any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to 
unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense,  and  departmental  writers 
are  not  expected  to  answer  any  letters  they  may  receive  on 
Gardening  and  Bee  subjects  through  the  post.  If  information 
be  desired  on  any  particular  subject  from  any  particular 
authority  who  may  be  named,  endeavour  will  be  made  to  obtain 
it  by  the  Editor.  Letters  of  inquiry  must  be  accompanied  by 
the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers,  but  these  will  neither  be 
published  nor  disclosed  when  initials  or  nom  de  plumes  are  given 
for  the  purpose  of  replies. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions  relating 
to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  it  is  convenient  when 
each  question  is  written  on  a  separate  sheet.  All  articles  intended 
for  insertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only  ;  and 
the  name  and  address  of  each  writer  must  be  known  by  the 
Editor,  though  not  necessarily  for  insertion.  We  cannot,  as  a 
rule,  reply  to  questions  through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  under¬ 
take  to  return  communications  which,  for  any  reason,  cannot 
he  inserted. 
Carnations  from  Cuttings  (Novice). — You  can  root  any  of  the  common 
border  Carnations  from  cuttings,  inserting  them  now  in  a  glazed  frame 
or  within  a  bottomless  box,  which  must  be  closely  covered  with  panes  of 
glass.  They  will  not  root  readily  if  exposed  to  the  weather,  and  allowed 
to  flag  in  hot  sunshine.  All  the  best  varieties  are  preferably  propagated 
by  layering,  as  it  is  the  surest  way,  and  does  not  need  the  shade  and  con-r 
finement  necessary  for  cuttings.  The  sooner  cuttings  are  inserted  now 
the  better,  so  that  they  may  get  callused  at  the  base  before  winter,  through 
which  they  will  pass  safely  with  the  simple  protection  of  a  glass  covering, 
and  you  will  have  good  plants,  perhaps  equal  to  layered  ones.  The  old 
Clove  Carnation  is  readily  propagated  by  cuttings. 
Millipedes  in  a  Garden  ((?.  H.  F.). — The  examples  sent  represent  a 
small  millipede  (Julus  pulchellus).  Its  presence  in  such  numbers 
suggests  that  either  the  land  needs  draining  or  is  rich  in  vegetable 
matter,  and  requires  a  corrective  in  the  form  of  lime.  This  may  be  given 
as  soon  as  cleared  of  the  crops,  or  distributed  amongst  those  that  are 
permanent,  such  as  Strawberries,  in  the  freshly  slaked  state,  at  the  rate 
of  a  bushel  per  square  rod,  choosing  dry  weather,  and  merely  pointing  it 
in  wi*h  a  fork.  Lime  will  sink  far  enough  without  burying  it  deeply  in 
the  first  instance.  The  lime  will  convert  the  humus  into  nitrate  of  lime, 
hasten  the  decay  of  the  vegetable  substance?,  and  prove  deterrent,  if  not 
destructive,  to  the  millipedes.  Gas  lime  will  either  kill  or  drive  them  away. 
It  cannot,  however,  be  applied  safely  to  land  under  crop.  Ground  cleared 
of  its  crops  should  be  dressed  with  it,  using  a  peck  per  rod,  distributed 
evenly  on  the  surface,  and  allowing  it  to  remain  a  few  weeks  before  being 
pointed  in. 
Points  of  a  Show  Pansy  ( Amateur ). — The  following  are  given  by 
Glenny  as  the  properties  of  a  Show  Pansy,  and  you  can  judge  for  yourself 
whether  your  flower  is  within  the  pale  or  not.  1,  It  should  be  round, 
flat,  and  very  smooth  at  the  edge,  every  notch,  or  serrature,  or  unevenness, 
being  a  blemish.  2,  The  petals  should  be  thick,  and  of  a  rich  velvety 
texture,  standing  out  firm  and  flat  without  support.  3,  Whatever  may  be 
the  colours,  the  ground  colour  of  the  three  lower  petals  should  be  alike  ; 
whether  it  be  white,  yellow,  straw  colour,  plain,  fringed,  or  blotched,  there 
should  not  in  these  three  petals  be  a  shade  difference  in  the  principal 
colour.  4,  Whatever  may  be  the  character  of  the  marks  or  darker 
pencillings  on  the  ground  colour,  they  should  be  bright,  dense,  distinct, 
and  retain  their  character,  without  running  or  flushing,  or  mixing  with 
the  ground  colour ;  and  the  white,  yellow,  or  straw  colour  should  be 
pure.  5,  The  two  upper  petals  should  be  perfectly  uniform,  whether 
dark  or  light,  or  fringed,  or  blotched.  The  two  petals  immediately  under 
them  should  be  alike  ;  the  lower  petal,  as  before  observed,  must  have 
the  same  ground  colour  and  character  as  the  two  above  it  ;  and  the 
pencilling  or  marking  of  the  eye  in  the  three  lower  petals  must  not  break 
through  to  the  edges.  6,  In  size  there  is  a  distinct  point,  when  coarseness 
does  not  accompany  it ;  in  other  words,  if  flowers  are  equal  in  other 
respects,  the  larger  is  the  better,  but  no  flower  should  be  shown  under 
1*  inch  across.  Ragged  edges,  crumpled  petals,  indentures  on  the  petal, 
indistinct  markings  or  pencillings,  and  flushed  or  run  colours,  are  great 
blemishes ;  but  if  there  be  one  ground  colour  to  the  lower  petal  and 
another  colour  to  the  side  ones,  or  if  there  are  two  shades  of  ground  colour 
at  all,  it  is  not  a  show  flower,  though  many  such  are  improperly  tolerated, 
the  yellow  within  the  eye  is  not  considered  ground  colour. 
